Noxubee County High

Noxubee County High is a public high school in Macon, Mississippi, serving 405 students in grades 9–12 within the Noxubee County School District, a rural area where every student qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The school has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 11.2-to-1, down from 13.1 two years ago, which means smaller classes and potentially more individual attention for students.

The most striking news is the school's recent upward trajectory. Noxubee County High jumped from the 9th percentile in Mississippi's state rankings in 2023-2024 to the 41st percentile in 2025-2026, earning a 2-star rating after years of 0- and 1-star ratings. The school now outperforms the state average in English II, with 52.6% of students proficient compared to 49.3% statewide. However, science remains a major concern: only 35% of students scored proficient in Biology, a 28-point gap below the state average, and Algebra I proficiency trails the state by about 11 points. Since Noxubee County High is effectively the district's only traditional high school, its performance directly shapes district-wide results.

Attendance and graduation remain significant challenges. Chronic absenteeism affects 35.5% of students, far above the state rate of 23.9%, although it has improved from a peak of 48.4% in 2021-2022. The graduation rate of 81.3% is an improvement over the prior year but still trails the state average of 89.2%. With 100% of students facing economic disadvantage and high absenteeism, the school faces a tough environment, but the recent gains in English, state ranking, and graduation rate suggest Noxubee County High may be at the start of a genuine turnaround.